First recorded around May 1925 by Papa Charlie Jackson 'Shake That Thing' was an even bigger hit than his previous release 'Salty Dog' (Songsters & Saints; Paul Oliver). By the end of the year, Ethel Waters, and the following year Viola McCoy and Viola Bartlette had recorded versions.
Ethel Waters claimed to have been performing the song on stage since 1921 (Songsters & Saints; Paul Oliver) so I'm assuming this was a popular vaudeville song that got carried through by blues and jazz musicians.
The following information on recording ie dates etc are taken from Dixon & Godrich.
Here's Papa Charlie Jacksons recording of "Shake That Thing" from 1925
and Ethel Waters with piano acc. by Pearl Wright followed by Eva Taylor's version accompanied by husband, Clarence William's Blue Five
Viola McCoy recorded songs from March 1923 -through '24 almost every month and then less regularly through to 1929. Here's a quote from Author Derrick Stewart-Baxter who wrote of McCoy: "She belongs to the great vaudeville tradition, but in all she does there is a strong jazz strain ... Possessing a lovely contralto voice and fine diction, she was able to project herself through even the worst recording ... It would be true to say that in the three years she was recording most prolifically she hardly ever made a bad record". This just about sums it up for me. Here's her recording of "Shake That Thing"
and Viola Bartlette's version from 1926 with possibly Jimmy Blythe on piano
Looking at guitar versions of "Shake That Thing", Mississppi John Hurt's version is the first to spring to mind
but I hadn't realised there were versions by Kokomo Arnold, Lightnin' Hopkins and Ralph Willis. The latter is at around 13:36 of the East Coast Blues cd below.
Piano versions I found from Willie Mabon and Art Hodes
and band versions from
Abe Lymans California Orchestra (1926). Kid Ory Creole Jazz Band and the Preservation Hall Band
Hope you enjoy this selection. I thought there would have been more versions by blues singers with guitar so please add any more you find.
Ethel Waters claimed to have been performing the song on stage since 1921 (Songsters & Saints; Paul Oliver) so I'm assuming this was a popular vaudeville song that got carried through by blues and jazz musicians.
The following information on recording ie dates etc are taken from Dixon & Godrich.
Here's Papa Charlie Jacksons recording of "Shake That Thing" from 1925
and Ethel Waters with piano acc. by Pearl Wright followed by Eva Taylor's version accompanied by husband, Clarence William's Blue Five
Viola McCoy recorded songs from March 1923 -through '24 almost every month and then less regularly through to 1929. Here's a quote from Author Derrick Stewart-Baxter who wrote of McCoy: "She belongs to the great vaudeville tradition, but in all she does there is a strong jazz strain ... Possessing a lovely contralto voice and fine diction, she was able to project herself through even the worst recording ... It would be true to say that in the three years she was recording most prolifically she hardly ever made a bad record". This just about sums it up for me. Here's her recording of "Shake That Thing"
and Viola Bartlette's version from 1926 with possibly Jimmy Blythe on piano
Looking at guitar versions of "Shake That Thing", Mississppi John Hurt's version is the first to spring to mind
but I hadn't realised there were versions by Kokomo Arnold, Lightnin' Hopkins and Ralph Willis. The latter is at around 13:36 of the East Coast Blues cd below.
Piano versions I found from Willie Mabon and Art Hodes
and band versions from
Abe Lymans California Orchestra (1926). Kid Ory Creole Jazz Band and the Preservation Hall Band
Hope you enjoy this selection. I thought there would have been more versions by blues singers with guitar so please add any more you find.